Igniter for explosive-engines



(No Model.)

2 sheetsfsheet 1.- W. BAYLEY.

IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

Patented Nov. 30, 1897.

IKMt- W. INVENTOR mmmw (No Model.) S 2 Sheets-Shet 2.

W. BAYLEY.

IGNITER FOR B-XPLOSIVE ENGINES.

N0..594.37Z. Patented Nov. 30,1897.

WITNESSES: v INVENTDR 6%. HMS-av I v? 4: mums PETER! co. mum-1.11140. wgsnmarou. n, c

Enron.

PATENT WILLIAM BAYLEY, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

IGNITER FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGINES.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,372, dated November 30, 1897.

Application filed July 14, 1896. Serial No. 599,173. (No model-) hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a portion of an enginecylinder to which my igniter is shown attached. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line A A in Fig. 1. Fig. at is a sectional view of the igniter-chamber in detail. Fig. 5 is a section of the same on the line A A in Fig. 4..

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same with the parts separated. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional View of a modified form of the construction. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View of the same on the line B B in Fig. 7.

Like parts are represented by similar letters of reference in the several views.

In hydrocarbon-vapor andsimilar engines in which the motive power is obtained by explosions of the hydrocarbon or other vapor difficulty has been experienced in effecting an explosion at the proper point without the use of complicated devices for controlling the admission of the vapor to the igniting-chamber or the application of the igniting-fire at the proper time. In my improved construction I overcome these difficulties and produce an igniter that is self-regulating, being by its peculiar construction automatic in its nature and adapted to apply the igniting-fire to the explosive charge at the proper moment without the use of valves or any other moving parts.

A further result which is accomplished by my invention is to furnish means for regulating the speed of the engine by the peculiar construction of the igniter, which explodes the charge earlier or later as the speed of the engine varies, thus automatically regulating the engine within certain limits of speed.

In the said drawings, a represents an engine-cylinder, which may be of any suitable construction and fitted with the usual piston and any suitable devices for admitting and compressing the charge therein. The cylinder is provided at any suitable point with an opening a, connected with which is an igniting-chamber b, which is adapted to communi cate with the cylinder a through the opening a. This igniting-chamber b may be formed of any suitable material which is adapted to withstand the heat which is applied thereto from outside sources, preferably by means of a suitable combustion-chamber supplied by a jet of gas from a suitable valve 0, which is located at a point sufliciently removed from the igniting-chamber to cause a combustion about the same and maintain it at a high temperature. For this purpose the ignitingchamber 1) is surrounded by a casing or shield d, preferably lined with asbestos or similar material, and if gasolene or similar hydrocarbons are to be used, then the supply-pipe c of the jet-valve is brought in proximity to the heat of the combustion-chamber, so as to generate the vapor necessary to supply the gas for combustion about the igniting-chamber.

I have found by experience that by the employment of the shield or casing 01 on the opposite side of the igniting-chamber from the jet-valve c and placing the jet-valve at the proper distance from the igniting-chamber b a high temperature may be maintained at the igniting-chamber Without the aid of the usual mixing devices employed for burning hydrocarbon vapors. To accomplish this successfully, I preferably provide a support 0 for the jet-valve o, with means for adj usting said jet-valve to or from the ignitin chamber b, this being accomplished, as shown in the drawings, by the employment of a screw-threaded shank c and nuts c and c on said shank adapted to engage on opposite sides of the support 0 For convenience I preferably make the igniter in two parts, one of which constitutes the igniting-chamber b and the other a base or support I). The igniting-chamber b in this construction consists, essentially, of an outer casing closed at one end and screwthreaded at the other, as shown at 11 and screwed onto the base I), which is correspondin gly screw-threaded. The base I) is provided with a central opening b which extends entirely through the same,and is further provided at the end which enters into the chamber 1) with a nozzle or jet b which preferably extends into the igniting-chamber b to a point near the closed end thereof and is provided with a reduced opening b through which a portion of the explosive mixture to be fired is admitted to the i gniting-ehamber b.

The operation and function of the device as thus described are as follows: The chamber Z) being maintained at a high temperature and having a reduced inlet-opening leading thereto from the exploding-chamber will receive the explosive mixture from the exploding-chamber as the same is being compressed in said exploding-chamber. As the explosive mixture enters the igniting-chamber it will burn therein because the pressure in the explodingchamber will be greater than that in the i gniting-chamber, and it will continue to burn therein at the end of the jet or nozzle 1) until the explosive charge has been completely compressed, at which time, the pressures being equalized in the explosive-chamber and the igniting-chamber, the fire in the ignitingchamber will be communicated to the explosive charge and thus explode the same.

I have referred to the fact that the reduced jet or nozzle Zris extended into near the closed end of the chamber b. This is the preferable construction, though not essential, as the reduced opening into the chamber maybe placed at any point with the length of said chamber, and the gases which are admitted gradually thereto as the charge is being compressed will continue to burn in the chamber and not pass backwardly through the reduced opening un til the pressures are equalized in the exploding and igniting chambers; but by the constructions described, in which the jet or 11ozzle is extended to near the closed end of the chamber, the fresh gases are brought at all times in contact with the end of the chamber which is maintained at the highest temperature, the burned gases collecting in that part of the chamber which surrounds the projecting jet 01' nozzle Z)*.

In Figs. 7 and S the construction is modified somewhat, the chamber b and the jet or nozzle Z) being in this case formed integral, and the parts thus formed connected to the base Z) by a flanged screw-collar Z) in a wellknown manner, suitable packing material If being placed between the base Z) and the chamber?) and, if desired, between the flanged screwcollar and the ignitingchamber, as shown at Z1 This construction is preferable when it is desired to form the igniting-chamber of earthenware or materials other than metal, the particular construction, however, and the materials forming no part of the invention.

By the constructions thus described I have been able to produce an igniter for explosiveengines which requires no moving parts to time the explosion or valves to admit the explosive mixture at the proper time. In an ordinary piston-engine the explosive mixture will be compressed as the piston is moved in one direction, and in compressing the charge therein a portion thereof will be forced through the reduced opening into the ignitin g-chamber and will continue to burn in said igniting-chamber so long as the charge is being compressed or until the piston has reached the limit of its stroke. The moment the compression is completed the pressures in the igniting-chamber and the exploding-chamber will be equalized and an explosion will follow. In case, however, the speed of the engine should be materially increased the appreciable length of time which it takes to pass the explosive mixture into the igniting-chamber through the reduced opening and back again into the exploding-chamber after the pressures have equalized will cause the explosion to take place at a later point in the stroke of the piston when moving at a very high rate of speed, so that the explosion will have less effective force than if applied at the point of greatest compression. For this reason the construction of the igniter is such that the speed of the engine will be automatically maintained within certain limits Without any other means of regulation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. An igniter forexplosive-engines consisting of a closed chamber havinga reduced jet or nozzle extending into said chamber, said jet or nozzle being provided with a reduced opening, as described, and adapted to form the communication with the expl0ding-chamber which admits the explosive charge, and means, substantially as described, for heating the walls of said igniting-chamber from the outside to cause the explosive mixture which enters through said nozzle to burn in the igniting-chamber so long as the pressure in the igniting-chamber is less than that which supplies the explosive mixture to said chamber, substantially as specified.

2. An igniter for explosive-engines consisting essentially of a base portion having an extended jet or nozzle of reduced area, and a removable easin g extending over said nozzle so as to leave a space between the sides of said nozzle and said chamber to receive the burn ed gases therein, and means for heating the walls of said igniting-chamber to cause the gases to burn in said igniting-chamber at the end of the nozzle, substantially as specified.

The combination with an igniting-chamber, of a jet-valve supported on one side of said chamber and a shield 011 the opposite side of said chamber to form a combustion-chamber, and means for adjusting said jet-valve to or from said igniting-chamber, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with an igniting-oham- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set her, of a jet-valve supported on one side of my hand this 10th day of July, A. D. 1896. said chamber and a shield on the opposite side WILLIAM BAYLEY of said chamber, said shield being adapted to 5 form a combustion-chamber in which the gas Witnesses:

from said jet-Valve is burned to heat said ig- G. M. GRIDLEY, niting-ehamber, substantially as specified. OHAs. I. WELOH. 

